Nthanda has not defected to MCP says SG
Despite Nthanda Congress Party interim vice president Loudon Malingamoyo announced his party has defected to Malawi Congress Party (MCP), his party colleagues, including interim secretary general Chakhumbila Khaila have come out in the open to declare the political party is still intact.
Malingamoyo told Galaxy FM radio station on Thursday, August 22 that the entire Nthanda Congress Party had defected to opposition MCP and was just awaiting a response from the country’s oldest political party.
MCP secretary general Chris Daza also confirmed receiving a letter from Nthanda but pointed out the process was yet to be formalized by the two parties.
However, Khaila and two other national executive (Nec) officials for Nthanda Congress Party- interim deputy publicity secretary Bertha Chidothi and interim Nec member Amos Makalichi Chinkhadze, who is also
chairing the electoral committee for the party’s forthcoming convention disputed the claims in a press briefing held in Lilongwe on Friday, August 23, 2013.
“When we heard the report on Galaxy FM yesterday (Thursday), we consulted members in our constituent, district and regional structures and they all expressed ignorance about the development and asked us not to disband the party.
“Those who have joined MCP have gone there in their individual capacities and are free to exercise their freedom of association, said” Khaila flanked by Chidothi and Chinkhadze.
Asked if there had been any communication within the party’s Nec prior to the radio announcement, the party secretary general said he heard several members mentioning about the issue but that no formal conclusion had been made until the radio announcement.
Khaila said he contacted interim party president David Kambauwa after getting the radio reports to find out what was going on and that the interim president mentioned it was only him (Kambauwa), Malingamoyo,
party interim treasurer general Mzati Thunde and interim publicity secretary Jacob Banda who had joined MCP.
The secretary general said the party’s Nec would fill in the vacancies created by the departure of the interim president and other top members ahead of the party’s convention slated for end September at a venue to be communicated.
